Nissan Evalia to take head on Toyota Innova, upon its launch on Indian turf on September 26, 2012 in Mumbai

Nissan Motor Company, the Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer, is revved up and will roll out its brand new Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV) Evalia in the Indian passenger car market on September 26, 2012. The company's promotional campaign for Evalia MPV has dubbed the upcoming car as an 'Urban Class Utility Vehicle', which was unveiled at the New Delhi Auto Expo, held in January 2012.

Nissan Evalia to take head on Toyota Innova, upon its launch on Indian turf

Nissan has designed the soon-to-be launched Nissan Evalia with a practical mindset, so as to ensure that the vehicle caters to each and every requirement of the Indian MPV admiring audience, with no lenience whatsoever in terms of quality. The 2012 Nissan Evalia will be involved in a direct face-off against Toyota Innova, Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Mahindra Xylo, upon its launch in the country's passenger vehicle market. It will be interesting to see how the upcoming Nissan Evalia fares against its Japanese rival Toyota's Innova, which has set a benchmark in the Indian MPV segment.

Comparing the exterior appearances of Evalia and Innova, both the cars feature different build structures and usage purpose. Innova ticks all the marks for the tried and tested comfort quotient of all Toyota products while the Nissan Evalia takes practicality and convenience to an entirely different level. The Innova looks strong, bulky and conventional as compared to Evalia that appears futuristic and a little boxy on its rear end. However, the most contrasting feature between Evalia and Innova is that the Nissan product flaunts its sliding doors, a first in the MPV segment of the Indian car market.

Coming to under the hood specifications, the upcoming Nissan Evalia has been incorporated with the popular 1.5 litre Nissan K9K diesel powertrain, which churns out a maximum power of 85 bhp and a peak torque output of 200 Nm. The K9K diesel power-mill is the most popular engine installed in Nissan products till date in the country and can be found in the Nissan Sunny saloon as well. Further, the Toyota Innova holds a 4-cylinder 2KD-FTV, diesel engine with Intercooler Turbocharger that delivers a peak power-torque output of 101 bhp and 200 Nm, respectively. Toyota also offers a petrol variant of Innova MPV that has been assimilated with a 4 inline cylinder, 1 TR-FE petrol engine that manages a maximum power of 131 bhp and a peak torque of 181 Nm. Accordingly, Toyota Innova is the winner if engine and performance are concerned, while its availability in both diesel and petrol options is an added plus, as against the Nissan Evalia that will be available in only diesel guise. However, due to its small engine Nissan Evalia will deliver better fuel efficiency, which is a pivotal requirement for most of the Indian car buyers.

The interiors of both the cars are of top-class quality with Evalia having a slightly upper hand in terms of comfort and convenience. The upcoming Evalia's interiors look simple and sophisticated with a variety of interesting additions like rear AC vents, foldable middle row seats and all reclining seats among others. The Toyota Innova seats definitely are more comfortable than Evalia and appear to have been made of a better quality material. In all fairness, the 2012 Nissan Evalia seems more spacious among the two and offers sublime headroom and legroom for its passengers, because of its tall build and frame.

With the upcoming Evalia, the Japanese auto maker Nissan seems to be targeting the middle aged Indian buyers who prioritise comfort and reliability over power and performance. The car is expected to turn the tide in the Indian MPV market and seems potent to shake the foundations of market leaders like Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Toyota Innova. The domestic car enthusiasts may have to wait just a little while longer to get their hands behind the wheels of the upcoming 2012 Nissan Evalia.

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